Joseph b



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. R. H. HINTON. APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOES 0N RAILR No. 388,199.

OAD TRACKS. Patented Aug. 21, 1888.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. R. H. HINTON.

APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOBS 0N RAILROAD TRACKS. No. 38,199. Patented Au. 21, 1888.

- Q E p A .dttorney I UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JOSEPH R. H. HINTON, OF 'EALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE VIADUCT MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR PLACING TORPEDOES ON RAILROAD-TRACKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 388,199, dated August 21, 1888.

Application filed January RI, 1987. Renewed February 1, 1888. Serial No. 262,665.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. H. HINTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Placing Torpedoes on Railroad- Tracks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and [0 useful improvements in apparatus for placing signal-torpedoes on railroad-tracks; and it consists,substantially,in such features of arrangement, construction, and combinations of parts as will hereinafter be more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

The invention comprises in its organization, principally, a frame or yoke designed to be movably supported at the rear end of a car or train of cars, grooved wheels supported in or by the frame, an endless belt or band traversing the wheels, a spring-clamp for automatically clasping around the rails, and to or by which the torpedoes are held, and a movable finger attached to the belt and by the tripping 2 of which the torpedo-clamp is operated.

The invention has for its object to provide Simplified devices of this character by which the operators of trains can place torpedoes on railroad-tracks while the ears are in motion,

0 and at any desired intervals rcquired,and with such regularity and absolute precision as that no danger of accidental explosions is had.

The invention has additional objects in view, all as will more fully appear from the descrip- 5 tion hereinafter following when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal side elevation of a car having my improvements at- 0 tached to the rear end, and wherein the op erator is supposed to be in the act of lowering the device upon the track. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view,in side elevation, showing the appearance and construction of my invention 5 more fully. Fig. 3 is a view to indicate the construction of tread or periphery of the several wheels employed in the practice of my invention. Fig. 4 is a View of the device or apparatus as it appears from the rear. Fig. 5 is a front View of a portion of the device, where- (No model.)

in the torpedo-clamp is shown in the act of springing around the rail,whilc another clamp is to be seen following thereafter. Fig. 6 is a side view of the clamp itself, representing the manner of its attachment to the belt. Fig. 7 is a top view of the clamp together with aportion of the belt to which a trip-finger is attached, the same indicating the manner in which the finger holds the spring-arms of the clamp apart until released automatically to clasp the rail. Fig. 8 is a view of the under side of the clamp, showing the manner of attaching the torpedoes thereto. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of a rail,showing the clamp as embracing the two upper side llangcs thereof and in readiness to have the torpedoes exploded by a passing train. Fig. 10 is a detail of the movable trip-finger to more clearly indicate its construction.

teference being had to the several parts by the letters marked thereon, A represents a yoke or frame provided at the top with a suitable grip or handle, a, and to one side, near the top,with a hook or catch, 1), the said frame being pivoted, as at c, to supporting-bars d, that are removably attached to the platform of the car, as seen at 0.

Between the two sides of the frame, near the top, is journaled a wheel, B, the periphcry of which is grooved, as shown, leaving two continuous side flanges,ff, while similarly supported between the sides of the frame, at their lower end, is a like wheel, 0, as shown. Extending rearward of and attached to the frame is an auxiliary frame, A, within which is held in the same vertical plane with wheel 0 another wheel, 1), whose tread or periphery is grooved in the same manner, but is also formed with a central continuous recess or channel, 9, for a purpose hereinafter described. 0 The said wheels 13, U, and l) are all of the same diameter, and it will be observed that the one D is supported by the auxiliary frame slightly elevated or higher than C, in order to permit passage thereunder of the traveling belt and 5 torpedo-clamp attached thereto.

The torpedo-clamp E is constructed of an oblong strip of flat metal, having at each end small slots or openings 71, while at opposite sides of its length it is provided with loopsii, 1co

in which are held the bent spring-actuated evident that the distance between its center arms F F, that are automatically operated to inelose or embrace between them the two side flanges of the rail. These arms are each provided or formed with a rib, (l, extending lengthwise thereof between their curved branchesj, and surrounding each of the said arms is a spiral spring, H, whose one end bears upon the ribs G, while their other end bears upon the top of the metallic strip I, and from this it will be seen that the torsion of the springs tends to draw the bent arms together downwardly. The torpedoes are provided on their under side with small strips of metallic or other ribbon, 7.7, and the manner of attaching them to the plate I is by passing the ribbons through the openings h and bending them down or tying them together in the manner shown, and it is evident that when the clamp is caused to embrace the rail the torpedoes J will be placed in such manner as to be exploded by the wheels of a passing train.

K represents an endless band of leather or other suitable material, which passes around the wheels in the manner shown, and at suitable intervals of its length and on the inner surface thereof I provide a triplinger, L, consisting of a piece of wire or other material bent at each end to about a right angle and formed with a central portion, 6, the said finger being movably supported in small loops or eyes secured to the belt, as shown, and its two bent extremities extend. over the edges of the band. By taking hold of the spring-actu ated arms of the clamp and drawing them apart, and then turning the linger L outwardly to bring its bent extremities under the ribs G, the said arms will be held apart until the finger is tripped to cause them to again close to gcther.

The operation of my invention is as follows: \Vhen it is desired to place a torpedo, the operator, having in readiness a suitable number of the springclamps, to which the torpedoes are attached in the manner explained, takes one of the clamps and bends the arms thereof backwardly, as indicated, and then turns the trip-finger around, so as to hold the arms apart. The operator then forces the apparatus down until the wheel 0 bears upon the track, and the friction thereby produced will cause the endless belt or band to travel around until the finger L comes in contact with the periphery of the said wheel 0, whereupon it is tripped, thereby causing the spring-actuated arm to automatically close around the flanges of the rail. The wheel D does not come in contact with the rail at any time, and the continuous channel G thereof is for the purpose of accommodating the portion lol' the trip-finger, so that the release of the spriugarms will not take place until after the clamp has been brought around lengthwise over the top of the rail. By the employment of this whee] D, I am enabled to bring the device to an accurate position to be sprung upon the rail, for it is and that of wheel 0 is intended to be such that the finger L will not be tripped until it is brought into contact with the tread or periphery of the wheel 0.

From the foregoing description it is thought the construction of parts contributing toward my invention and the operation thereof will be thoroughly understood, and I desire to state that, while I have herein set forth a peculiar construction and arrangement of the several parts, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto in precise detail, for it is evident that very material changes could be resorted to coming within the scope of my invention.

For the purpose of holding the device out of contact with the rail when not in use the hook I) is secured or slipped into the small eye m, formed on the side of the platfornrrail, as shown. Bearing between this rail and the rear of the two side portions of the frame A are suitable springs, N, tending to force the lower end of the frame downwardly when the hook is released or detached.

Ilaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In apparatus for placing torpedoes on railroad-tracks, the combination of a yoke or frame and an auxiliary frame, grooved wheels journaled in said yoke, a similar wheel journaled in the auxiliary frame, having a continuous channel or recess, an endless band traversing said wheels, and a torpedo-clamp earricd by the band, adapted to be tripped and to automatically embrace the flanges of a rail, substantially as described.

2. In torpedo-placing apparatus, the combination of the frame A, the grooved wheels B O, the auxiliary frame, and grooved wheel 1), having continuous channel 7, the endless band traversing these wheels and provided with trip'linger I, and the torpedo-clamp having spring-actuated arms held apart by said finger, substantially as described.

3. In torpedo-placing apparatus, the combination, with the endless belt or band, of a clamp holding at each end atorpedo and having spring-actuated arms for embracing a rail, and devices or means for holding said arms apart, adapted to be automatically tripped or released, substantially as and in the manner described.

4. The combi nation, with the endless band, of the finger I, loosely held thereto, having its ends bent and formed centrally with the portion Z, and the clamp Ii, provided with bent spring-actuated arm F F, having rib G, under which the ends of the trip-finger are turned, the whole operating in the manner set forth and described.

5. The combination, with an oblong strip of metal having at opposite sides the loops ii, of the bent arms F F, held in said loops and having rib G, and the springs surrounding said ICO arms, with one of their ends bearing upon the my hand in the presence of two subscribing ribs and the other upon the plate, substantiall y Witnesses. as described.

6. The combination, with the frame, sup 5 ported as shown, of the hook b and springs N, \Vitnesses:

substantially as and for the purpose described. Tnos. KELL BRADFORD,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set F. M. DUNN.

JOSEPH R. H. HINTON. 

